TBTL #4604: "Look At The Baldur's Gate On This Guy!"

Date: November 24, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

Episode Overview

This Monday edition of TBTL features the usual blend of sharp banter and cultural deep-dives as Luke and Andrew cover everything from retro TV theme songs and moviegoing habits, to existential gripes of aging and the seemingly Sisyphean struggle of taking out the garbage on time. The episode is defined by irreverent humor, nostalgic tangents, and thoughtful reflections—all delivered with the familiar, self-effacing wit that long-time listeners cherish.

Major topics include:

• Waiting for restaurants and battling “early onset grumpiness”
• Listener interaction—especially a unique, timestamped drop suggestion via postcard
• Deep dive into the 1980s sitcom Square Pegs (with audio samples of its theme and dialogue)
• The joys and trials of seeing movies in theaters vs streaming at home
• Reviews and reflections on new films: Noah Baumbach’s J. Kelly, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein
• The value of going out for live shows and overcoming lethargy
• Anecdotes of neighborly and “garbage hero” behavior
• Brief TV recaps: The Chair Company, Pluribus, and proto-Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Listener mail and the ever-present challenges of pet cats interfering with podcasting

Key Discussion Points & Notable Moments

1. The Aging Curmudgeon Within

[00:00–01:07]

• Andrew asks about waiting for a good restaurant vs settling; banter about generational grumpiness.
• Andrew diagnoses Andy with “early onset grumpiness”:

  "You have early onset grumpiness. EOG—you’re going to begin to enjoy fewer and fewer things in your life." (Andrew, 00:31)

• Luke chimes in, parodying the classic old-man "who are these people?" complaint.

2. Cat Chaos in the Studio

[01:17–03:05]

• Luke laments “extreme circumstances” caused by Bubbles the cat, who interferes with every facet of his broadcast setup:

  “I am seriously at my limit with Bubbles, the cat...absolutely obsessed with the broadcast setup.” (Luke, 01:52)

3. Nostalgia Drop: Listener Lydia’s Postcard & Square Pegs

[05:06–13:51]

• Andrew shares delight over a fan, Lydia, sending a handwritten postcard with detailed timestamps for potential “audio drops” from the show Square Pegs.
• The segment features live investigation into the drop, much laughter, and play-by-play commentary on the old sitcom.

  “This is the first time I have ever received a drop suggestion in handwriting written down on the back of a postcard and mailed to us.” (Andy, 07:07)

• Audio from Square Pegs' “Pac Man Fever” episode is played (Sarah Jessica Parker shoutout), leading to speculation about early ‘80s pop slang and the theme song's new wave roots.

Memorable Quote

“Ladies and gentlemen, that is the drop... 'maybe we should do something to save him from becoming a human microchip.'”
— Andy, after playing the drop, 12:07

4. Deep Digression: TV Theme Songs and Cultural Artifacts

[13:09–19:32]

• The Waitresses, Paul Shaffer, and the artistic mood of the Square Pegs intro are discussed with musical samples and detailed visual description.
• Luke and Andrew compare Square Pegs' intro to more mainstream fare like Saved by the Bell or Rebecca Black's Friday.

  “It could have eased into the Waitresses a little bit more, went from spoken word to just like—you know—square peg, square peg…” (Luke, 18:05)

5. Filmgoing as an Act of Self-Care

[23:57–37:03]

• Luke recaps seeing Noah Baumbach’s J. Kelly in a packed theater; contrasts theater experience vs. at-home streaming.

  "It's nice to force ourselves to sit in a movie theater and eat popcorn and Milk Duds… sitting in that movie theater fully focused on it…was ultimately a very rewarding experience." (Luke, 36:30)

• Discussion of movie release strategies (theatrical window vs. Netflix dump) and Oscar qualification.
• Andrew recounts a Frankenstein-induced nightmare:

  “I had nightmares, Luke. Nightmares. I did that thing where I woke up in the middle of the night…and thought, ‘Oh, what was I dreaming about?’ And then I yelped.” (Andy, 26:09)

6. Going Out Still Matters: Overcoming Grumpiness

[43:15–50:25]

• Andrew’s anecdote: Dragging himself to a Sunday night comedy show hosted by “Snacks the Funny Bunny” at Rabbit Box Theater, featuring Josh Fadham (“or is it Fadem/Fatum?!”).
• The night ends up wonderful, reminding Andy and Veeves of the unrepeatable rewards of showing up.

  “It reminded me…when am I ever going to sit down to watch [a movie]? I need somebody to spring it on me, I think.” (Andy, 34:03)

7. The Unrelenting Allure—and Anxiety—of Streaming TV

[52:08–62:28]

• Andy discovers Curb Your Enthusiasm originated as a 1999 “mockumentary” HBO special:

  “Wasn’t sure if you knew this, but Curb Your Enthusiasm started as like a one-off 1999 reality TV mockumentary.” (Andy, 56:57)

• Extended discussion of TV watching paralysis, show evolutions, and how "cringe" shows like Curb and Veep lean into toxicity.
• Relief found in weekly must-see TV (namely The Chair Company and Pluribus):

  “That’s why I’m so psyched about The Chair Company…that’s a decision I don’t have to make on a Sunday night.” (Luke, 61:41)

8. Listener Voicemail: The Garbage Hero

[73:12–74:59]

• Carolyn from Vermont recounts a heroic early-morning garbage rush aided by a friendly trash collector named Mary.

  "I'm a freaking garbage hero. Give me a shirt that says ‘Garbage Hero’, boys!” (Carolyn, 74:59)

• Andrew and Luke riff on the concept of “Garbage Hero” as a potential TBTL merch idea—with a strict stance against “stolen garbage valor.”

9. Neighborhood Politics and Pet Woes

[76:02–81:42]

• Luke’s “pro move” of permanently parking his garbage bin at the pickup point and the guilt of lost-bag dog poop lead to speculation on neighborly etiquette (including pen color for apology notes).
• Brief tangent on neighbor rituals (the sacred Seahawks 12th man flag).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Restaurant grumpiness & generational banter: 00:00–01:07
• Cat chaos/Bubbles: 01:17–03:05
• Listener Lydia’s postal drop suggestion: 05:06–13:09
• Square Pegs nostalgia & audio drops: 09:55–13:51
• Square Pegs theme deep-dive: 15:12–19:17
• Moviegoing & J. Kelly review: 23:57–37:03
• Guillermo del Toro/Frankenstein nightmare: 26:00–28:03
• Cultural value of going out: 43:15–50:25
• Streaming TV overwhelm & Curb proto-pilot: 52:08–62:28
• Listener “Garbage Hero” voicemail: 73:12–74:59
• Pet, neighbor, and dog poop etiquette: 76:02–81:42

Notable Quotes

• On Moviegoing:
  "Sitting in that movie theater fully focused on it…the movie is by the way, over two hours long. … I had to watch it and sit there and concentrate on it the whole time, which was ultimately a very rewarding experience."
  — Luke (36:30)

• On Square Pegs' Opening Theme:
  "I was totally expecting it to be like a theme song from Saved by the Bell… but that was so much more…artsy."
  — Luke (17:01)

• On Small Joys of Listener Engagement:
  “This is the first time I have ever received a drop suggestion in handwriting written down on the back of a postcard and mailed to us.”
  — Andy (07:07)

• On Overcoming the Urge to Stay In:
  “It reminded me…something happened to me a while back, I think, in the past couple of years. … Suddenly reality started lining up with my expectations.”
  — Andy (48:30)

• On ‘Garbage Hero’ Glory:
  "I'm a freaking garbage hero. Give me a shirt that says ‘Garbage Hero’, boys!”
  — Carolyn (74:59)

• On TV Overload:
  “I find it so difficult to pick television to watch, especially when I'm in [this mood]…Something that I can kind of turn my brain off.”
  — Andy (58:35)

Overall Tone & Style

Casual, self-effacing, and deeply referential to pop and subculture, the episode is rich with personal anecdotes and organic humor. The hosts lean heavily into irreverence and nostalgia, often playfully derailing discussions for comedic or reflective asides, but always circling back to the core themes of community, friendship, and appreciating the fleeting joys of everyday life.

For the Uninitiated

Look At The Baldur’s Gate On This Guy! stands as a microcosm of TBTL’s charm: oddly specific listener interactions, deconstructions of pop culture detritus, and candid conversations about habits, anxieties, and aging. If you crave long-form conversation that treats 1980s sitcoms and Sunday night outings with equal gravity, this is your show.

No mountain too tall…

End of Summary